⭐️ 5
🌶️ 2

Tropes:
💚 Women in STEM
💚 Historical Romance
💚 Single Father
💚 Mystery

If you are looking for a new romance book that touches on feminist issues please read this!
I’m absolutely in love with how the author not only spun a mystery with quirky characters but touches on real issues that women are facing while highlighting issues women faced in the past.
The romance was so cute and I couldn’t help but ache for Lucy, she just wanted a partner to help her and take some of the burden of being a female apothecary owner on her own.
Thorne is a strait laced man who keeps his promises. He doesn’t drink, he doesn’t eat unhealthy, and he loves his daughter with all his heart. He is determined to not let Lucy in, but he can’t help when Lucy slides inside his heart.

I love the worlds that Elizabeth Everett builds, centered around groundbreaking and smart Victorian women. This book had a good blend of romance, mystery, and historical detail.

Thorne and Lucy were such a good pair - he was reliable and solid which is exactly what Lucy needed to be able to focus on her own work. I loved the little blended family they formed, and was delighted to get some appearances by characters from Athena’s retreat.

Sometimes the narration felt a bit disjointed, and I think that some plotlines could have been developed a bit more. The story around Thorne’s family didn’t end as satisfying as I had hoped, but the mystery of Lucy’s missing formulas kept me reading and interested.

I can see some directions this series will go, and I’m eagerly awaiting the next!

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley, and Ms. Everett for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

This had a great premise - historical romantic fiction, which I enjoy, female-run business, women in STEM, and *no* Dukes to be seen, anywhere. Individually I really liked the main characters, too. Lucy, accomplished scientist (chemist, more properly, although no one used that title at the time) and owner of an apothecary, was a very sympathetic character. She was clearly overextended and overworked, wearing all the hats and doing all the work... alone. Jonathan Thorne, single dad, inquiry agent, retired prizefighter and ex-peer, was also a compelling character. His daughter Sadie was a delight and Jonathan did his very best to do right by her.

It's just that together Lucy and Jonathan had absolutely no chemistry, ironically enough. Lust, OK. Love? I did not feel it. A strong foundation for a life together? eh. I never really believed that Jonathan truly supported Lucy, or that he surpassed his judgement of her behavior and past. And neither did I believe that Lucy truly forgave Jonathan for being the child of a peer, or for holding somewhat traditional views of women (even if he had modified them somewhat). I disliked that the "villains" of the story did what they did for such dumb reasons, and I disliked that nothing ever happened to any of them. (I guess I'm a more vindictive person than Lucy! I would not be turning that other cheek, no way.)

I really preferred the mystery portion of the story, and Lucy's life as an apothecary owner, to the romance. It was a decent story overall - and that cover is gorgeous! - but I found myself turning to the next book without a second thought. ⭐⭐⭐

It’s a grand day when I get to review an Elizabeth Everett book. I was introduced to her through her second book in The Secret Scientists of London series, A Perfect Equation. Followers of the podcast will remember that book being highlighted quite a bit on my best of lists for 2022. This year, Everett has branched out to a parallel series that delves into the side characters from SSoL with The Love Remedy (The Damsels of Discovery Book 1).

A Little Bit of Plot
Lucinda (Lucy) Peterson has awful luck keeping her formulas for herself - first for her exclusive lozenges and now for the treatment of croup. Money keeps walking out the door. She knows the culprit, but she needs a private investigator, Jonathan Thorne, to prove it. He’s grump, she’s harried, but there seems to be a spark when they touch. All Thorne wants is to provide for his daughter, but he’s sworn off falling for beautiful women. What happens when his new, beautiful client poses a threat to his best intentions?

The Compliment Sandwich
The Top Bun (The Pro)
The Writing

Elizabeth Everett is a wonderful storyteller. She creates personality and whimsy in situations that a less deft hand would turn either too dire or overly slapstick. Through her writing, you get the sense that Everett respects her characters and their beliefs by how sharp-witted and warm they appear. She entices the reader to fall in love with this band of intelligent and brave women, which makes them a beacon for heroes with protective instincts and the wherewithal to get out of the way and let the ladies lead the charge. Thorne is a bit different, however, as while he’s not against a free-thinking and sexually progressive woman, he has more stringent views of how his daughter will be raised. Because of this, Thorne and Lucy are constantly at odds. Also, because this is a romance novel, you know that he comes around in the end. :wink: I think this first real interaction sums up their relationship.

“Of course, you can’t be sent to Newgate if you haven’t committed a crime,” Thorne continued.
For a moment there was no reaction, then Miss Peterson’s left ankle turned in a circle as if to say, Go on.
“If I were to stack the crates again beneath you, would you please climb down here so that we can speak face-to-face?” he asked.
Miss Peterson’s left foot hung motionless for a moment, then slowly moved side to side.
“Is it the speaking face-to-face you wish to decline?”
The foot moved side to side again.
“You’re well stuck, aren’t you?”
Miss Peterson’s left foot tapped the building in a grumpy manner, if a foot could be said to be grumpy.

Without a word from Lucy, we have pages of dialogue between a man and a foot, and it’s enjoyable, and the communication is crystal clear. I would also add that the depth at which both characters “get” the other is evident almost immediately. We will see many more examples of this throughout the novel, especially in the more intimate times. Thorne almost instinctively understands what Lucy needs, which makes him the perfect partner to her, not only in the bedroom but in most aspects of their lives together.

The Meat (The Con)
An epilogue, for certain. The ARC copy ends a bit abruptly. This truly isn’t a con, as I just wanted more from this couple. The slow build-up to the grand gesture leaves you wanting even more.

The Bottom Bun (The Pro)
Women in STEM!

Everett promotes not only women in the sciences, but many of her heroines are also part of the working class. While some are in reduced circumstances, they never feel as though they need a husband or partner to thrive. While Lucy needs an extra set of hands to run the apothecary, this will then allow her more time to invent. In the novel, she works through the night, filling orders and experimenting, and her days are filled with customers and consultations. Thorne understands her need for freedom and is willing to provide stability so she can thrive in her field.

We also see the progression of Thorne’s thoughts about what he wants for his daughter, Sadie. At first, he’s only interested in her making a good match some day, however, when faced with that possibility, discovers what she wants for her life is much more important than his own beliefs.

Sadie grows throughout this novel. She learns to be inquisitive, confident, and self-assured. We are provided two different interactions between Sadie and other women: Mrs. Merkle, who feels she should be trained to enter into service (due to her status and upbringing). Then, the Petersons encourage her to be inquisitive, look beyond societal expectations, and foster her love of science. You can guess which Thorne ends up adopting.

It should also be said that this book is muy fuego. It’s a slow burn, so it takes a bit to get there, but we aren’t disappointed when we do. And lots of pregnancy prevention talk. Love it!

This can be read as a stand-alone. However, I think to get the full scope of Athena’s retreat and some of the characters referenced in this book, do check out the trilogy that precedes this. Elizabeth Everett will always be an insta one-click for me forever and ever..amen.

The Love Remedy by Elizabeth Everett is the first novel in The Damsels of Discovery series, a romantic historical featuring a Victorian apothecary. It’s got mystery, family, romance and more to delight those who enjoy women-in-stem and strong feminist themed historical romance.

This was a grumpy meets sunshine romance that began slowly, but eventually pulled me in. I admit to not reading the synopsis beyond “a Victorian apothecary hires a stoic private investigator to protect her business, they learn there’s only one way to treat true love—with a happily ever after.”

While the romance was central to the story, I quickly became wrapped up in the stolen croup formula, the shop and the family that lies within. Lucinda Peterson has the weight of her family on her mind. Since she runs the apothecary and their future. She worries for her patients and is angry at herself for being duped by a lover who stole her formula for throat lozenge. When she discovers her croup formula missing, she suspects he stole from her again. Angered, she hires private investigator Jonathan Thorne. She offers him and his daughter an apartment on the third floor of the shop, and he agrees to solve the mystery and check her accounts.

The tale that unfolded was filled with discussions and discourse over women in science and family issues. Her sister wants her married and her brother is always off chasing some new scheme. I loved the interactions, the shop and remedy talks. There is also a lot of tension caused by men believing woman have no business in medicine.

I enjoyed the different aspects of the story, but loved the romantic moments between Lucinda and Jonathan. Jonathan has secrets and has put his daughter above all else. I loved the growth in both characters and the sizzling chemistry. Slowly but surely, Lucinda gets under the armor of our grumpy hero.

The Love Remedy was a solid start to the series, and I look forward to the next installment.

So very good! A real masterpiece in my opinion. Not only it perfectly depicts the personal struggles of two great characters, but also of women in a stifling society, and it deals in particular with the topic of women’s self-determination, especially in regard to their own bodies, which is so very actual today.
I loved that the hero is not handsome, but very beautiful inside and that Lucy is able to see behind his self-imposed armor. And I loved that Thorne wanted to change his life for his child. I fell in love with Lucy and her passionate nature and I even cried a bit for her and her struggles. And, last but not least, I ADORED the author’s notes. Everett is a great writer and I really can’t get enough of her books!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for this wonderful arc! I enjoyed the feminist women-in-stem take on a Victorian-era romance between a fierce and independent apothecary and a grumpy detective. However, I wish I could have seen more pining from Thorne for Lucy. I feel like there needed to be more interactions and intimacy whether it was small romantic moments or bigger gestures and confessions of love which there wasn't much of. However, the few intimate scenes that we got were marvelous and I could really tell that Thorne knew exactly what Lucy wanted and needed. There just needed to be more development of chemistry. Sadie was also an unexpected impactful character who was very charming, and I loved to see how she softened the characters through her brightness. I loved the premise of the book, I think there was a need for better bond building between characters, but the story is still charming. Overall, I still enjoyed my read of this arc and cannot wait for the rest of the series that has so much potential like this one.

I really enjoyed Elizabeth Everett’s first three books so I was definitely looking forward to this book. I think this is tied with the last of for my favorite. I really liked this. The story was really good and I loved the characters. I’m definitely a fan and will keep reading her books going forward!

Two people both burned by love and attraction in the past join forces on a common goal and find that the remedy they’ve been looking for has been right under their noses the whole time!

The Love Remed by Elizabeth Everett is the first book in our new series, The Damsels of Discovery, featuring more STEM heroines and the hunky men who fall for them!

Apothecary, Lucinda is holding her family business and herself as best she can. When her latest proprietary formula goes missing, she enlists the help of a private investigator to find out who has stolen her work. Johnathan moves into the building with his young daughter and becomes more immersed in this investigation and in Lucinda as they unravel the mystery…

I absolutely loved the story, both Lucinda and Jonathan were characters. They came to life on the page and were so easy to root for. Lucinda is the hard-working sister trying to keep her family business together and Jonathan is the hard-working single dad trying to do right by his daughter. And of course, both of these characters with checkered romantic past that Poisoned them to the possibility of love and happily ever afters for themselves.

As well, Elizabeth Everett creates a real sense of realism in her gritty, London portrayal and her realistic Victorian working class characters. I absolutely loved reading, historical romance and not stepping into a ballroom once! So refreshing!

This book was excellent, and is definitely going to be one of my top reads for 2024!

Thank you, Elizabeth, Everett, and Berkeley publishing for my e-book review copy. Opinions are my own.

This historical romance had a ton of potential but the plot didn't quite do it for me. I love the theme of "smart woman thrives in a time when women were oppressed" and I've heard of Elizabeth Everett's books that are all on that theme, but this is the first one I've read. The covers of her books are always GORGEOUS and this one is no exception. I liked the characters, the setting and the premise quite a bit. The vibes were great but the plot and pacing was lacking a bit for me. There wasn't quite enough happening in the story to keep my interest. The spice level was high, although there was some light bondage that was not really my cup of tea,

Thank you to the publisher - I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a mixed bag for me. I loved the representation of topics before their time but the religious junk was a slog. I see how it fit in the story, I think, but it made me distrust the author a bit despite her progressive stance. I would really prefer there to be no Christianity mixed with my romance for any reason. Otherwise, this was a 4 star read.

Some things never change. But in the hope that others are open to listening and others will be empathetic in the process of teaching, we might be able to make the changes needed. We find two people who have to get past their own limitations to see that the right person is right in front of them. Lucy has had her formula stolen by her ex fiance and has been profiting off it, but now she finds there is a second one missing. In believing that this is her ex again, she seeks revenge. A woman apothecary is frowned upon in 1865, and she knows that there is little she can do without proof. In the hiring of an investigator under the disguise of a bookkeeper, we meet Thorne. Thorne has decided that he will never love again.
After losing the love of his life and leaving with a daughter, he knows he needs a mother for her but never wants to be in love with her. There is an attraction though that they can not ignore.

This story brings a lot of concerns that were not only part of the society in 1865, but relevant for today. The limitations of what women can and can’t do concerning career and education, the limiting of what women's rights are concerning her own body and what is right and wrong by society's rules. This book does fair warning of rape, and is mentions in respectful way that isn’t too traumatic if one is okay with it.

I need to say I loved the book. It was a slow start, but I loved all the main characters and was invested right away because of it. It was an extremely slow burn. When there, it was so streamy. Once Thorne dropped his limiting walls and realized how they affected his daughter and Lucy saw the strength in herself, they were able to see “Love was the easiest thing in the world”.

I love how the author captures London in the Victorian Era with such authenticity, including a female apothecary who teams up with a private investigator to protect her business. I was draw in from the start, and was captivated by this gorgeous feminist histficrom novel. Highly recommended!

Lucy and Thorne! Wow what chemistry. Lucy is a stand-up character, operating as an apothecary despite society's dislike of women working. We even see protests aimed at her "witchcraft." There are a lot of societal issues at play in this story, from women's health issues to women who want to defy societal norms. Thorne is hired to work undercover to help Lucy find her missing formula. There are quite a few twists and turns in uncovering the culprit. But their attraction was instant and a slow-build. We also have Thorne choosing to be a single father instead of sending his child off to be taken care of by any other, and his traditional values being challenged. The side characters are all full of life and really round out the story, from extended family to shop keepers to a former fiancé. I tend to read Regency over Victorian romance, but this was still quite entertaining. I would read more by this author.

The Love Remedy deals with much heavier subjects than the usual balls and walks in the park. Lucy is an apothecary. She trained with her father and inherited the business on her father's death when she was only eighteen. She's under incredible stress keeping the business afloat while worrying about her brother and sister. She trusts the wrong man and he steals her formula for throat lozenges, taking away her chance at making good money. Now, her formula for helping croup is missing and she's sure he stole this too. She hires Thorne to get it back. Thorne is a single father of a bi-racial nine-year-old girl . There are a lot of issues at play here. Pre-marital sex (for the woman), race, abortion, rape, LGBTQ+, class differences, and a hate group of men - The Guardians of Domesticity from previous books. Thorne is from the upper classes, disowned from his family when he became a gentleman prizefighter, a drunkard, and had an illegitimate daughter with a courtesan. Even so, he has traditional ideas of what makes a woman acceptable for marriage and his former lover and now Lucy doesn't fit his standards. I appreciate Thorne's eventual willingness to re-think his entrenched views but their relationship didn't really click with me. A lot of anger and judgement. Still, a good book and I'll continue reading the series.

Unfortunately this one wasn't for me. The book and writing were fine. I think the pacing was off for me. I wasn't able to connect with the characters, I was left wondering if the characters connected with each other, and found the FMC a bit annoying. However I think many readers out there will love this one if you like grumpy meets sunshine, a Victorian romance, and apothecaries mixed with romance and mystery. There are more 3-5 star feels around here, so I'm definitely an odd ball and maybe I'll give it a go again in the near future. Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for this eARC in exchange for a honest opinion.

Victorian romances aren’t my cup of tea but the cover was so pretty that it convinced me to try it.

I enjoyed the feminist theme but it also didn’t take itself too seriously. The MMC was a fighter and apparently he was horrendously ugly bc it was mentioned quite a lot in the book. It also mentioned the FMC had crooked teeth and that she was wearing her ugly underwear the first time they hooked up, which I thought was totally relatable. Lol.

The story was also pretty forward for the times. The book was about women in stem but also touched on social classes and race.

There is some spice to the book and yes, that was pretty forward too. Did they have condums during the Victorian era?

Overall, it was a bit slow for my taste but still enjoyable.

The Love Remedy is a fabulous and swoony start to a new romance series.

I absolutely adored Elizabeth's The Secret Scientists of London series, so when I heard that she had a new spin-off series coming out, I knew I needed to read it. The Love Remedy was a lot of fun to read. Elizabeth brought all the elements I loved about her previous series and created this new and exciting story about strong, smart, and capable women. Fans of Elizabeth's writing will be delighted to know that characters from the previous series appear in this book. Elizabeth is a master at creating a lively, exciting, and memorable setting. This story centers around Lucy's family's Apothecary shop, another great location to spend time in. This store is always bustling with a diverse and quirky group of people. It was so interesting to see the various reasons why people visit an Apothecary shop; sometimes, the reasons were hilarious, and other times, it was heartbreaking. Mr. Gentry, who often spends time at the shop, is a secondary character who really stole the spotlight. He would often come into the shop with strange and unusual medical facts or claim that he was ill with another obscured disease. He was charming, sweet, and hilarious. I adored everything about him.

I loved the overall story. Its structure is pretty typical of an Elizabeth Everett book. What I mean by this is that you get a spicy historical romance with strong women who excel in STEM fields, and there is often a mystery element woven throughout the plot. In this book, Lucy hires Throne to find evidence that her former beau and competitor has stolen her formula for curing croup. The mystery component was interesting, and I loved exploring the world of Apothecary. It is a quieter mystery. The element of danger and heart-racing urgency doesn't exist in this story. The only real conflict comes from the Guardians of Domesticity, who think a woman's place is the home. Fans of Elizabeth's writing will recognize this group because they were the source of major conflict in the previous series. They often protest in front of Lucy's shop, threatening to make her pay for practicing Apothecary.

Lucy is a really interesting character. She has this tremendous burden placed upon her and often feels alone in the world. She is responsible for caring for her family's failing shop and ensuring that her sibling can pursue their own interests. I liked her character. It takes time to get to know her because she has so many walls built up around herself. But that comes from feeling a great sense of responsibility for all those around her. Throne is different from your typical male hero. He is broody and gruff, but he is also a single dad. He takes the responsibility of raising his daughter very seriously and is involved in his daughter's life. He walks her to school, reads to her before bed, and just adores everything about her. Throne's backstory is quite interesting and has really shaped who he is as a person. I liked both of these characters together and separately.

The romance between Lucy and Throne is fabulous. I could see the attraction and chemistry between these two right from the beginning. They both have that wonderful ability to befuddle and rock each other's worlds. They really have a hard time figuring out where they stand with each other. That sense of befuddlement is pure catnip for me. I loved the dialogue between these two. It was real and raw at times. There is this lusty dance between them. They both know that nothing should happen between them, but that pull gets harder and harder to ignore. And when things finally erupt between them, it gets really spicy. The sex scenes are very hot. Overall, I enjoyed these two as a couple.

The Love Remedy is a satisfying romance romp that I could not put down.

A fun feminist Victorian STEM mystery that, yes, is trope-y, but it's different from the norm. Lucy, an apothecary (when was the last time you saw one of those in a romance?), hires Jonathan Thorne when someone steals her remedy for the croup. He's the grump to her sunshine and a single dad. The mystery isn't as well developed as it should be but I enjoyed the novel regardless because of the characters. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

The Love Remedy is a historical romance featuring a woman scientist, Lucy, who runs an apothecary, and Thorn, a man she hires to investigate a theft of her medicinal formulas. I appreciated the feminist themes the author touched on, especially women's health and the right to choose. I liked Lucy's character a lot, but I didn't love Thorn's. I found him to be too judgemental and buttoned-up. I adored Thorn's daughter, Sadie. The romance between Lucy and Thorn was just ok. I wanted more chemistry from them. I recommend The Love Remedy to readers who enjoy historical romance coupled with mystery.